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Book , K frS? 
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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 





BEN KING'S 

SOUTHLAND 

MELODIES 






Copyright, 1894, 1898, 
By Aseneth Bell King 



Copyright, 1911, By 
Forbes and Company 



©CJ.A293947 



CONTENTS 





PAGE 

De Cushville Hop 11 

De Bugle on De Hill 14 

How Come It So? 18 

Ole Bossie Cow 21 

Down De Mississippi 23 

De Massa 28 

Jes' Take Mah Advice 33 

Nobody Knows 35 

Appearances 39 

De Watahmellon Splosion .... 42 

De Sun 's Comin' Back 45 

Thanksgibin' in Ole Virginny ... 48 

Gathah in Yo' Grain 50 

Like De Ole Mule Bes' 53 

Little 'Rasmus 59 

Coonie in De Holler 62 

Beulah Lan' 65 

Lef De Ole Hoss Out 68 

Zaccheus 70 




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PAGE 

De Clouds Am Gwine To Pass ... 75 

A Casual Observation 78 

God Only Knows 79 

De Bibah ob Life 83 

Angeliny 87 

Little Jude 89 

De Blackbird Fetched De Spring . . 91 

A Record F'om 'Way Back .... 95 

Gittin' Into Shape 98 

Patriotism and a Pension 101 

De Spring-House 103 

Decorate De Cabin 107 

Grave Matters 110 

A Retrospection 112 

Pinkey 115 

De Eyarfquake 120 

Injun Summah 122 

Undah Obligations 125 

De Good Ship 128 



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BEN KING'S 

SOUTHLAND 

MELODIES 





BEN KINGS SOUTHLAND 
MELODIES 

DE CUSHVILLE HOP 

I'S gwine down to de Cushville hop 
An' dar ain' no niggahs gwine to make me 
stop ; 
Missus gwine to deck me all up in white, 
So watch de step dat I 's gettin' in to-night. 
Um-hm, mah honey, tain' no use ; 
Um-hm, mah honey, turn me loose 
Um-hm, mah honey, watch me shine 
When mah foot am a-shakin' in de ole coonjine. 

Xo black niggahs come foolin' roun' me; 

I 's jes' to look at, anyone can see; 

I 's jes' a orniment, an' I mus' 'fess 

No niggah put 'is ahm 'roun' mah snow-white 

dress. 
Um-hm, niggah, keep away, undahstand ? 
Um-hm, niggah, look out f o' yo' hand ; 
I 's jes' to gaze at I must 'fess, 

11 






So don't put yo' ahm 'roun' mah snow-white 
dress. 



Bring out de banjo, plunk-plank-pling, 
Watch de motion ob mah step an' mah swing; 
Don' yo' pestah me er make me stop 
When I git in motion at de Cushville hop. 
Um-hm, niggah, keep away, keep away! 
Um-hm, niggah, not to-day! 
Keep away from me kase I done cain't stop : 
I 's jes' caught mah motion fo' de Cushville 
hop. 





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DE BUGLE ON DE HILL 



1DON' like de noise ob de marchin' ob de 
boys, 
An' I 'low don' s'pose I evah will; 
Er de trampin' ob de feet to de drum's wild 
beat, 
Er de sound ob de bugle on de hill. 
It 'minds me ob de day when Gabe marched 
away, 
An' ole missus stood beside de cabin do'; 
Somepin' whispahed in my ear 'bout my little 
volunteer, 
An' said he nevah will come back no mo'. 



9 



I 'membah now de day jes' how he marched 
away, 
Wid de bright sun a-climbin' up de sky, 
Marched out an' down de street to de drum's 



wild beat, 
Den dev fetched 'i 

i' moanful 
kneeled to pray, 
14 



home to die. 



Oh, de sad 



way, po 



ole 



missus 



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When Gabe said: "It's gittin' mighty 
still." 
But I rise an' jine de boys when I hear de can- 
non's noise, 

Er de blowin' ob de bugle on de hill. 

It 'pears es if I seen de ole plantation green, 

An' sometimes I sho'ly think I hear 
De regiment pars by, an' 'low I hear de cry 

An' de moan ob my little volunteer. 
An' I see de moanful way po' ole missus kneel 
to pray, 

An' sometimes when all aroun' is still, 
I kin hear de tread ob feet to de drum's wild 
beat 

An' de blowin' ob de bugle on de hill. 



3> 



Dar 's a spot mighty dear to dis ole darky here, 
Whar de sunlight is peepin' froo de palms, 
Wid his hands 'pon his breast, dar my soldier 's 
gone to rest, 
Jes' peacefully a-sleepin' in de calms. 
An' de drum's wild beat er de tread ob marchin' 
feet 

16 



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HOW COME IT SO? 

HOW come de cows so early home, 
Befo' de milkin' houah? 
Bekase dey hyeahed it thundah, an' 
Knew las' night's milk was souah. 




How come de she cat in de bahn, 
Up in de ole hay mow ? 

Bekase she 's interested some 
In raisin' kittens now. 

How come de darkes' hoss to win 
Dat great big dahby race? 

Bekase he had de stuff in him 
An' was n't held fo' place. 

How come dat gal so shapely 
Dat fas'nates ebery lad? 

Bekase she 's got de sugah 

An' knows jes' how to pad. 



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OLE BOSSIE COW 

PO' ole bossie cow 's down in de marsh, 
Down in de marsh whar de col' win's am 
bio win', 
Ebery now an' den when de storm dies away 
Seems ef I hyeahed ole bossie cow a-lowin'. 



So out by de cabin do' I stan' on de sweep, 
An' listen in de win' an' damp'nin' wedder, 
An' 't pears dat I hyeah ole bossie cow ag'in, 
An' I 'low dat she say, "Come down in de med- 
der." 

Den down froo de marsh land trampin' along, 
Down froo de gloom an' de night rains a-fallin', 
Pickin' my way through the whisperin' reeds, 
"Co-boss, co-boss, co-boss," a-callin'. 

Den all ob a-sudden I come to a stop, 
An' dar 's ole bossie cow so gentle an' so kin' ; 
An' I coax up ole Brindle, an' I lead her by de 
ho'n ; 

21 






Si 



DOWN DE MISSISSIPPI 

OH, de ole plantation lanolin', 
On de Mississippi sho', 
'Pears es ef I seed ole massa 

Standin' waitin' dar once mo' — 
Back a ways to whar de cabin 's 
Almos' hid by lilac trees — 
Seems es ef I hyeahed po' missus 
Singin' ole-time melodies. 

Hollyhocks an' honeysuckles 

Grow an' bloom along de way, 
Leadin' up dar to de cabin ; 

But de ole folks, whar are dey? 
An' de win'in' path a-leadin' 

Roun' de house ; sometimes, a spell, 
Seems es ef I hyeahed de win'lass 

H'istin' watah f'om de well. 







I 's done gone down dis ribah 

'Bout es far 's I keah to go. 

Yo' kin Ian' me soon 's yo' 's ready, 
An' I 'low I '11 fin' mah way 

Back to dat ole shattah'd homestead 
Whar de sun shines froo to-day. 

Massa Lincoln's gunboats lef it 

Jes' dat way in Sixty-Three; 
Course dey did some monsus damage, 

But dey set us darkies free. 
How I 'membah po' ole missus 

Standin' nyeah de cabin do', 
An' she say: ; 'Yo' gwine off, 'Rasmus? 

Ain' yo' gwine come back no mo'?" 

Den I said: "Not zackly, missus; 

Somepin 's done ketched onto me. 
Dar 's a big stampede ob darkies 

F'om Kaintuck an' Tennessee. 
When de boat comes up de ribah, 

Whistlin' 'roun' de lower bow 
I mus' leabe de ole plantation — 

Yes, mus' say good-bye an' go." 
25 



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JMassa so't o' bowed 'is head, sah, 

Sittin' in 'is ole ahm-chair; 
Missus, standin' on de do'step, 

Caught de sunlight in her hair ; 
An' de breezes f ' om de orchard 

'Peared to rustle froo de trees, 
An' I hyeahed ole Judy weepin' 

Wid de chillun 'roun' her knees. 

Tell yo' I was mighty sad, sah, 

But I sort o' walked away. 
Years an' years ago it was, sah; 

Now I 's wanderin' back to-day. 
'Deed I 's lookin' back an' gazin' 

Mos'ly now each side de stream. 
Lan'marks gittin' mighty natch'l, 

'Clare it 'pears jes' like a dream. 

Dar 's de place! Dat 's it, dar, cap'n. 

Dis yeah side de ole ho'n bow ; 
'Low yo' need n't stop de steamah ; 

Jes' slack up a little — slow. 



a 





Lan' ob goodness! Ef de bushes 
Ain't a-growin' thickah still. 



In de lan' ob de forgotten ; 

Not a soul along de hill ; 
Not a voice to wake yo' gladness ; 

Everythin' do 'pear so still: 
Not an echo to a footstep ; 

Not an ansah to a call 
'Cep' a mockin'-bird a-singin' 

To de lonesomeness — dat 's all 






DE MASS A 

DE Massa to de shepa'd say : 
"Go call de sheep dat 's gone astra} 7 
De night is col', I hyeah de win', 
A-shakin' 'gin my winder blin' ; 
Dar 's some po' sheep dat 's gone astray. 
Go call 'em in, Cu-dey ! Cu-dey ! 
Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey!' 

De shepa'd said: "De night was col 
But all de sheep was in de fol\ 
I called 'em in at set ob sun ; 
Dey all come runnin' 'cep' de one 
Dat 's always wanderin' away, 
An' never min's de call, Cu-dey ! 
Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey!" 

De Massa den went f roo de gloom, 
Ob medder fields. De autumn moon 
Was dodgin' roun' behin' a cloud, 
But still he goes a-callin' loud, 
Fo' dat one sheep dat 's gone astray. 

28 





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I hyeah him call, "Cu-dey! Cu-dey! 
Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey!" 

He listens long to hyeah de soun', 
F'om some ole wedder pokin' roun', 
Dat 's gone to res' down in de dell, 
An' wanderin' roun' has los' his bell ; 
Tho' softer now so far away, 
I hyeah him call, "Cu-dey! Cu-dey! 
Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey!" 



But furdah on in gloom an' damp, 
Upon de bordah ob de swamp ; 
So chilled by dew an' autumn win's, 
Right dar de po' los' sheep he fin's; 
He lifts him up, an' leads de way, 
Yit I hyeah Massa's echo say, 
"Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey! 
Cu-dey! Cu-dey! Cu-dey!" 

An' all night long de win' an' rains, 
An' hail against de winder panes, 
In dreams I hyeah de Massa call 
De wanderin' sheep, he knows 'em all. 

30 



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JES' TAKE MAH ADVICE 

JES' a little sunshine, jes' a little rain, 
Jes' a little happiness, jes' a little pain. 
Jes' a little verselet sounds mighty nice 
'Bout some oddah business; jes' take mah ad- 
vice. 




Jes' a little chicken-coop standin' neah de 

fence ; 
Jes' a little darky, too, widout a bit ob sense ; 
Jes' a little pressin' by de farmah on de triggah, 
Jes' a little 'splosion, den a perforated niggah. 

Jes' a little lazy coon 'roun' a-shootin' craps, 
Den a-buyin' policies 'roun' de lottery traps ; 
Jes' a little out ob cash, jes' a little stuck; 
Jes' a little hungry, jes' a niggah's luck. 

Jes' a little bettin' on de fav'rite in de race; 
Jes' a little ways behin', workin' hard fo' place; 
Jes' a little money won by dat oddah moke. 
Jes' a little t'ing like dat lef ' dis darky broke. 

33 




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NOBODY KNOWS 

NOBODY knows when de col' winds am 
blowin', 
Whar all de po' little chillun am a-goin'. 
Nobody knows when de night time 's hoverin' 
How many little ones am des'tute ob coverin'. 
Nobody sees, but de Lawd done see 'em, 
An' bime-by de Lawd '11 tell humanity to free 
'em. 



^ 



Nobody knows jes' how many am in rags, 
A-sleepin' in de hot blocks an' 'roun' on de 

flags. 
Nobody sees all dis poverty an' woe, 
A-livin' on de emptyin's an' not a place to go. 
Nobody sees, but de Lawd done see 'em, 
An' bime-by de Lawd '11 tell humanity to free 

'em. 

Nobody knows whar dis poverty all comes — 
How many po' folk am sleepin' in de slums. 
Nobody knows jes' how few am befriendin', 

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APPEARANCES 

DE man dat wahs de slickes' tile 
Don' draw de bigges' check ; 
De riches' lookin' kin' ob sile 
Don' yiel' de bigges' peck. 



De boss dat 's highes' in de pool 
Don' always win de race, 

Kase sometimes he 's a little off, 
An' sometimes held fo' place. 

De bulldog wid de orn'ry jaw 
Ain' half so bad to meet 

As dat dar yaller mongrel cur 
Dat 's layin' fo' yo' meat. 



De mooley cow dat hists her leg 
An' makes de milkmaid scream, 

Am jes' de bossie cow dat gives 
De riches' kind ob cream. 



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De mule dat hab de wicked eye 
Ain' half so bad, now min 

Look out fo' dat ole sleepy mule 
Yo' 's walkin' 'roun' behin'. 






DE WATAHMELLON SPLOSION 

DAR 'S one fing dat I would n't do 
Ef I had any common sense, 
Go sneakin' up to massa's fence 
An' steal a watahmellon froo. 
Would you? 



I know dat mos'ly froo de day 
He 's layin' out dar in de sun 
Benin' dat haystack wid a gun. 

It 's loaded wid rock salt, an' say — 
You jay! 

Don' fool aroun' dem mellons dar, 

Torpeders grow dar 'pon dat vine ; 
One busted las' night long 'bout nine, 

An' lifted some po' niggah's har. 
See hyeah — 




Ob course, I would n't say a word. 
I hyeahed 

Dat mos' de fahmers 'tach'd a line 

To mellons filled with dynahmite. 

Yo' coons dat 's gwine out dar to-night 

Jes' scuse me; gase I '11 stay behin'. 
Now, min'! 





Yo' kno' Ole Birch, dat had one eye, 
Dat always got to church so soon, 
An' 'clared de eyarf went 'roun' de 
moon, 
An' said dat jes' de reason why 
De sky 

In night time needed bettah light, 

Was jes' 'cause wicked coons would 

steal 
F'om ebery watahmellon fiel', 
But God would burn 'em up some night. 
Dat 's right. 




<5 ■ 



He was n't to de church to-day ; 

A bran' new coon stood in de spot 
An' set right whar he always sot. 

He was n't dar to shout an' pray, 
Dat 's what. 




I don' s'pose none yo' niggahs hyeahed 
De reason dat I laft in church 
When some coon ast fo' Bruddah Birch. 

'Twas jes' las' night dat, 'pon my word, 
De splosion 'curred. 

No, sah ! It 's nebah gwine to do 
Fo' any coon wid common sense 
To sneak up now to any fence 

An' try to steal a mellon froo, 
Dat 's shuah. 



*o 





DE SUN S COMIN' BACK 

HUSH! chillun, hush! 
Kase de sun 's done come back agin, 
Back agin a-shinin' on de old cypress tree ; 
Hush! chillun, hush! 
It shuahly am a fac' agin, 
De sun 's done come back agin, 
Back agin to me. 

Hush! chillun, hush! 

Fo' de sun 's done come back agin, 
Pushin' yaller glory roun' in ebery spot it fin's, 

Dancin' on de cradle 

An' old Chloe wid de ladle, 

An' coaxin' out de blossoms on 
De honeysuckle vines. 

Hush! chillun, hush! 
Kase de sof ' winds come back agin, 
Back agin' a-bringin' all de glory ob de spring; 
My heart 's jes' a-throbbin' 

45 



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THANKSGIBIN' IN OLE VIRGINNY 

TO-DAY 'S Thanksgibin', 
Good Ian' a-libin', 
Go gibe de ole hoss a double mess o' co'n. 
Ole pot bubble 
Possum 's in trouble, 
An' we 's gwine to feas' upon 'im sho 's yo' 

bo'n. 
Niggah wid de long straw, he git de possum ; 
Niggah wid de nex' straw, de jack rabbit; 
den 
Niggah wid de nex' one, he git de turkey, 
But de short straw done draw de little 
guinea hen. 
De little speckle' hen, 
De little guinea hen, 
Little pickaninny has to eat de guinea hen. 




$. 




Gibe 'im off yo' table 
Long as yo' is able, 
Kase poverty an' hunger may sometime come 

to yo'. 
Darky wid de long straw, he git de possum ; 
Darky wid de nex' straw, de jack rabbit; 
den 
Darky wid de nex' one, he git de turkey, 
But de short straw done draw de little 
guinea hen. 
De little speckle' hen, 
De little guinea hen, 
De short straw done draw de little guinea hen. 



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GATHAH IN YO' GRAIN 

DE ole plow hoss is busy 
Breshin' flies off wid his tail, 
De ole dog 's got a move on him 
Dat 's zackly like a snail. 
De meddah grass is noddin' 
An' off yondah in de lane 
I kin hyeah de tree toads warnin' 
"Bettah gathah in yo' grain." 

Don' yo' hyeah de frogs a-gurglin' 
Dar out yondah in de pond? 
What 's de mattah wid de catbird, 
Don' yo' hyeah his voice respond? 
Ain't de hull ob 'em a-tellin' yo' 
In language mighty plain, 
"Don' be frivlin' 'way yo' moments, 
Bettah gathah in yo' grain." 

Ain't de bumble bee a-hummin' 
'Mongst de clovah tops an' flowahs, 
Whilst de ole clock am a-tickin' 'way 

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LIKE DE OLE MULE BES' 

SOME folks is so't o' partial to de cattle 
roun' de farm, 
To make a pet ob animals dey fin' it so't o' 

balm, 
While oddahs 'fer de poultry stock; de goose, 

an' duck, an' hen 
Is often made de mos' ob by de wises' kin' ob 

men. 
Some like de brindle mooley cow an' 'low dey 

hab de sense 
To 'pear to know dere massa when dey see 'im 

at de fence. 
Some like de yearlin' colt; I Ve raly seed men 

stan' aroun' 
An' pet a hoss all day, an' rub 'is legs an' fet- 
locks down; 
But gibin' all de animals de faires' kin' ob tes' 
I so't o' like de ole mule bes'. 




;«2>.' 




Some like de gobbler kase he 's struttin' roun' 

mos' ebery minute. 
Some like de peacock fo' his pride, an' den 

some like de dog, 
Whilst oddahs fo' companionship have pref- 

unce fo' de hog. 
Some fa'mers like de wedder sheep, an' some 

de little lamb, 
De billy-goat, an' nanny-goat, whilst oddahs 

'fer de ram. 
Some like de little week-ole calf when buntin' 

roun' its muddah, 
An' some folks dey like one thing an' den some 

folks like anuddah; 
But ob all de stock I 's raised wid in de Souf, 

er Eas' er Wes' 

I so't o' like de ole mule bes'. 



Dar 's sompin' meekly 'bout 'im, it 's de fac' he 

is n't bold 
An' de 'spression on 'is face is like de holy 

saints ob old; 
When he sort o' h'ists 'is heel up like he 's 

gwine to hit de sky 

55 



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He 's simply exercisin' jes' to pestervate a fly. 

An' de why he 'pears embarrass'd is kase na- 
ture had to fail 

An' made 'im sort o' long on ears, an' kind o' 
short on tail ; 

But den he 's mo' than 'tached to me, an' know 
I is 'is friend 

An' we done made up our mind to stick to- 
geddah to de end ; 

So dar 's no use ob yo' axin' me, yo 's done had 
time to guess 

I so't o' like de ole mule bes'. 



I used to like Lucindy, but den 'Cindy 
could n't stay, 

An' little Sim, I worshiped so, de angels 
coaxed away, 

An' Lize Anne, an' br'er Zeph dere up dar on 
de hill, 

I partial'y think I hyeah 'em, too, when all 
aroun' is still; 

Yo' see, I 's mo' den lonesome hyeah, wid no- 
body to talk, 



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LITTLE RASMUS 

DE Great Good Spirit come down f'om 
above 
An' took little 'Rasmus away; 
Took my little 'Rasmus dat played peep wid 

me, 
An' rode out ter Banbury Cross on my knee, 

Took po' little 'Rasmus away. 
Took my little 'Rasmus dat played roun' de 

do' 
An' danced at de sunbeams dat fell on de flo', 
Took my little 'Rasmus away. 

Dat 's why I 's downhearted an' cain't fin' re- 
lief, 
An' ole an' bent over ; I 's loaded wid grief 

Kase 'Rasmus has done gone away. 
De Great Good Spirit comes down f'om de 

sky 
An' hovahs aroun' ebery day, 
An' it 'pears what yo 's lovin' a little too much, 
De Good Spirit takes it away, 

Kase He took little 'Rasmus away. 

59 




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But I know de Good Spirit mus' be mighty 

glad, 
But dis darky's heart am jes' mou'nful an' 
sad 
Since 'Rasmus has done gone away. 
An' mos'ly at morn, when de whimperin' breeze 
Am loiterin' up in de sycamore trees, 
An' at noon when de sun dances roun' on de flo' 
Dis ole darky's heart am jes' burdened wid 

woe, 
An' at night twixt de win' an' de patterin' rain, 
My po' soul an' body am restless wid pain 
Since 'Rasmus has done gone away. 



* 



But I know de Good Spirit comes down f'om 

de sky 
An' hovahs aroun' ebery day, 
An' it 'pears what yo' worship a little too much 
De Good Spirit takes it away, 
Kase He took little 'Rasmus away — 
Took po' little 'Rasmus away. 




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COONIE IN DE HOLLER 

COONIE in de holler hidin' hin' de logs, 
Little pickaninnies ketchin' pollywogs, 
Banjo am a-ping, ping, pingin' out a tune, 
Ebery t'ing am lubly as a day in June. 

Ping, ping, ping, banjo am a-pingin', 
Sing, sing, sing, yaller gals a-singin', 

Wing, wing, wing, ain't dat wingin' fine? 
De same ole step in de ole coonjine. 

Cindy in de kitchen tryin' out de lard, 
Jusy in de do' way, rakin' up de yard, 

Jaspah am a-pickin' on de ole banjo 

An' he am a-singin' "I 'se gwine home to 
Chloe." 

Coonie in de holler done gone up a tree, 

An' he am a-hidin' whar no one kin see. 
But he know his bizness 'nough not to come 
down, 
Kase he know him likely meet dat frocious 
houn'. 

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BEULAH LAN' 

OBAH de ribah in Beulah Lan' 
De lubly angels in white robes stan' ; 
Dey beckon me dar, I kin hyeah de ban', 
Obah de ribah in Beulah Lan'. 

Obah de ribah what sights I see! 
Somebody stan's dar a-waitin' f o' me ; 
Stan's on de sho' ob de Jaspah Sea, 
A-callin' ; he says, dar 's res' f o' me. 

Obah de ribah I soon mus' go, 
Weary ob waitin' f roo all dis woe ; 
An' when my journey is ended, I know 
Dat de Good Shepherd will open de do'. 

Obah de ribah my soul takes wing, 
De songs ob Zion I hyeah 'em sing; 
When tuned to de harps how our voices will 

ring 
Close 'roun' de frone ob de Hebenly King. 



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LEF' DE OLE HOSS OUT 

J rri WEEN de gusts ob de win' 
A. Comes a whinny an' a soun' 
Like de trampin' ob hoofs on de col', col' 
groun'. 
I 's 'spicious ob a storm, 
An' dar ain't no doubt 
But somebody 's gone an' lef ' de ole hoss out. 

I 'membah now de sheep 

Come a-runnin' to de shed, 
An' de ole bossie cow was a-standin' in 'er bed, 

An' de chickens on de roos'; 

But what was I 'bout 
When I done went to bed an' lef de ole hoss 
out? 

Well, I mus' n' lay hyeah 
An' habe de col' win's blow — 
When de keyhole whistles dar 's gwine to come 
snow — 

68 



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I jes' ought to 'rise 
An' wandah right out, 
An' cuah mahself ob leabin' de ole hoss out. 

Mali goodness, what a night! 

Wondah what 's dat soun' ? 
Dat 's de ole hoss, jes' comin' on de boun'. 

I 's ashame' ob myse'f ! 

Well, what was I 'bout, 
To go to bed to res' an' leabe de ole hoss out? 






ZACCHEUS 

ZACCHEUS climb up de sycamo' tree, 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 
Den he looked up de road jes' fur as he could 
see, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 
Oh, Zaccheus knew he could done see de bes', 
Ef he climb up de tree he could ovahlook de 

press, 
An' 'haps he could sleep an' git a little res', 

While a-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come along, come, 
A-waitin' f o' de good Lawd to come, 
He could ovahlook de press, 
An' he git a little res' 
While a-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 

Ole Zaccheus set on de bow ob de tree 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 

A long time ago in de ole Judee, 

A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 

Along about noontime an' eberyt'ing clear, 

70 







Word went aroun' dat de Lawd was drawin' 

near. 
An' de press begun to jostle an' de multitude 
to cheer 
While a-waitin' fo' de Lawd to come, 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come along, come, 
A-waitin' f o' de good Lawd to come. 
When de Lawd was drawin' near, 
How de folks begun to cheer, 
While a-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 



When de Lawd come along he said to Zach, 

Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 
"I 's pow'ful glad yo' 's hyeah, I am, fo' a f ac'," 

A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 
"So come right down hyeah, out en dat tree, 
Yo 's jes' de bery pusson I 's lookin' fo' to see. 
Dis day I abide at de house wid thee," 

Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 
Waitin' f o' de good Lawd to come along, come, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 
De republican an' sinnah, 
Took de good Lawd home to dinnah, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 

72 



a 





An' 
An' 

But 




Now, Zaccheus he was an Israelite, 

Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 
An' he lived in a mansion way out ob sight 
While waitin' fo' de Lawd to come. 
Zach knew de Lawd knew he had stuff 
he wondah'd ef de Lawd was done makin' 

him a bluff, 
de Lawd went home wid Zach shuah 

enough, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come along, come, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come — 
Oh, Zaccheus de sinnah, 
Took de good Lawd to dinnah — 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 



Ole Zaccheus he was a shuah 'nough sinnah, 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 

An' back in dem days was a seven times 
winner, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 

But de Lawd told Zach he mus' gibe to de po' 

An' neber let a beggah man pass his do'. 






73 



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Den Zach he said: "I will, Lawd, sho'," 

While a-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come, 
Waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come along, come, 
A-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 
So gibe me de po' 
Dat pass by yo' do', 
While a-waitin' fo' de good Lawd to come. 




DE CLOUDS AM GWINE TO PASS 

E weddah 's mighty warm, 
An' I gase it 's gwine to storm, 
Don' yo' see de swaller flyin' to de thatch? 
Black clouds a-sweepin' by, 
Jes' a-skimmin' long de sky, 
Dar 's a-hustlin' in de huckleberry patch. 

Dar 's Zeke an' Hezekiah, 

Jane Ann an' ole Maria, 
Mighty skeery when dey see de lightnin' flash. 

How dey hustle to de cabin, 

Whar ole Dinah am a-blabbin' 
An' de hoe cake am a-bakin' in de ash. 

I tol' yo' kase I know, 

Jes' what make it thundah so, 
Dat 's de way God shake de rain out ob de sky ; 

An' when yo' hyeah de soun' 

Like a-shubbin' tables roun' 
Yo' kin see de pigs a-runnin' to de sty. 

75 



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But de clouds am gwine to pass, 

An' de sun shine out at las', 
While de pickaninnies play aroun' de do'; 

An' froo de winder blinds, 

Hid by mornin' glory vines, 
It 's a-gwine to flicker down upon de flo'. 

God moves in many a way, 

So de ole Bible say, 
Fo' He counts de drops an' all de grains ob 
san's ; 

An' when de darkness falls 

'Pon dese hyeah cabin walls 
It am jes' de break ob day in uddah lan's. 



Den hurry, chillun, hustle while you may, 
Kase yo' know dar 's gwine to come a rainy 
day. 

But de gloomerin' will pass, 

An' de sun shine out at las', 
An' de darkies' clouds ob sorrer pass away. 



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A CASUAL OBSERVATION 

AR 'S nuffin hyeah but vanity 
An' riches an' insanity; 
De dollah seems to be de people's god. 
Dar 's a heap too many 'Scariots 
A-ridin' 'roun' in chariots, 
While de po' man am a-carryin' de hod. 

Dar 's too much haste an' hurryin', 
An' too much wealth at buryin', 

An' dis hyeah t'ing am gettin' worse an' worse, 
It takes all ob de rakin's, 
De scrimpin's an' de scrapin's 

To liquidate de 'spenses ob de hearse. 

Dar 's heaps ob care an' worry; 

Eberybody 's in a hurry, 
An' de few am growin' richer ebery day; 

But de most of us mus' shovel 

Fo' de chillun in de hovel 
An' silently await de judgment day. 






GOD ONLY KNOWS 

SAW an ole beggar dis mawnin', Lucindy, 
De weddah was col' an' bleak an' windy, 
An' de fros' took hold 
Ob de end ob his nose. 
Whar wus he goin'? 
God only knows, chile, 
God only knows. 



All he had on was an ole woolen jacket. 
An' pants dat had done seed a mighty ha'd 
racket, 

His shoes war all out, 

Kase I saw his toes. 

Whar wus he goin'? 

God only knows, chile, 

God only knows. 

He said his gran'chillun had turned him away, 
Wid nuffin' to eat on las' Thanksgibin' Day. 

Wid no obahcoat, 

He looked about froze. 
79 




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Whar wus he goin'? 
God only knows, chile, 
God only knows. 

He lifted his han's, dey was bony an' blue, 
An' axed me was dis hyeah de main avenue, 

Den walked obah dar 

To dose ten'ment rows. 

Had he Men's in dar? 

God only knows, chile, 

God only knows. 

I don' b'liebe in treatin' a gran'fadah so, 
Kase some day it 's comin' right square back, 
yo' know. 

An' when we grow ole 

An' come to de snows, 

Den who '11 keer fo' us? 

God only knows, chile, 

God only knows. 





De rain an' de snows, 
God makes de win' blow, 
But jes' whar it goes, 
God only knows, chile, 
God only knows. 







DE RIBAH OB LIFE 

1 DREAMT dat I saw de ribah ob life 
Dat flows to de Jaspah Sea. 
De angels war wadin' to an' fro, 

But none ob 'em spoke to me. 
Some dipped dere wings in de silb'ry tide ; 
Some war alone an' some side by side. 
Nary a one dat I knew could I see 
In dat ribah ob life, 
De ribah ob life 
Dat flows to de Jaspah Sea. 

De ribah was wide, dat ribah ob life ; 

De bottom I plainly could see. 
De stones layin' dar was whitah dan snow ; 

De sands looked like gold to me. 
De angels kep' wadin' to an' fro; 
Whar did dey come from? 
Whar did dey go? 
None ob 'em sinnahs like me, I know, 




> 




De watah was clear as de "well by de gate, 5 

Whar Jesus de light first see. 
De sofes' ob music f 'om angel bands 
Come obah dat ribah ob golden sands, 

Come obah dat ribah to me. 
An' den I saw de clouds break away, 
Revealin' de pearly gates ob day, 
De beautiful day dat nebah shall cease, 
Where all is joy, an' lub, an' peace. 
An' ovah dem gates was written so clear: 
"Peace to all who entah here." 
De angels was gadderin' 'roun' de frone, 
De gates done closed, I was lef ' alone, 
Alone on de banks ob a darkenin' stream, 
But when I awoke I f oun' 't was a dream. 

I 's gwine to ford dat ribah ob life 

An' see de eternal day. 
I 's gwine to hear dem heabenly bands, 
An' feel de tech ob ole-time hands 

Dat long hab passed away. 
Dar 's crowns ob glory for all, I 'm told, 
An' lubly harps wid strings ob gold. 
An' I know ef dar 's peace beyon' dat sea, 

84* 



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ANGELINY 

GOME right hyeah, yo' Angeliny; 
Chile, yo' jes' gibe me de blues 
What yo' doin' ? try in' to try me 

Warin' out dem bran' new shoes? 
Yes, yo' is, 'deed yo' is, 

Don' yo' dar talk back to me, 
Kase I know yo' is. 

Whar' yo' gwine to play dis tennis? 

Who yo' playin' tennis wid? 
Playin' wid dat Irish Dennis, 

Well fo' yo', chile, dat yo 's hid. 
Come right squar out f ' om dar, 

Out f om dar hin' dat dar bed; 
Now, go comb yo' har. 

Angeliny ! Angeliny ! 

Don' yo' hyeah me callin' yo'? 
Need n't t'ink dat yo' slip by me, 

Min', gal, I 's dead on to yo'. 
Come right squar in f ' om dar, 

87 





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LITTLE JUDE 

PO' little Jude, why, don' yo' know 
Dat little chile? A yeah ago 
Her muddah died. I reckon now 
'T was jes' las' spring* I 's tellin' yo' 
'Bout little Jude. 





Po' little waif indeed she war; 
An' how she cried, jes' out de crib 
Dat baby war, an' her muddah died. 
Could walk an' run an' jabbah some, 
Dat little Jude. It make me cry, 
Tell yo' it do, jes' when I t'ink 
'Bout little Jude. 

De fun'al day she war asleep, 
Tucked in de crib, dat little chile 
Had on her bib — dat orphin Jude. 
De mo'ners come; an' when dey pray 
Dat little Jude waked up an' say: 
"Mammy! Mammy!" ies' dat way. 
Nobody know jes' what to do 
Wid little Jude. 
89 



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She cry so ha'd dey lif ' her down ; 
F'om room to room she toddled roun' 
A-cryin': "Mammy! come an' take 
Yo' little Judy dat 's awake — 
Yo' little Judy 's wide awake." 
My Ian'! de teahs come in mah eyes! 
But when she foun' her own high-chaih, 
Dat had been hid, an' pushed it up 
'Long side ob whar her muddah was, 
An' den climbed up an' pounded on 
De coffin-lid, I could n't stan' 
De awful grief — de sobs an' teahs — 
An' little Jude, a-lookin' roun' 
Fo' one dat now at las' she 's foun' — 
Why, chile, I cain't — I nevah will 
Fo'get dat day. 





DE BLACKBIRD FETCHED DE 
SPRING 



WHEN de autumn leabes was twistin' 
An' a-tryin' to git loose, 
An' de apples in de cidah press 

Had done turned into juice; 
When de blackbird got down-hearted 

An' made up his mind to go, 
It was den de time dis darky's heart 
Was jes' pahboiled wid woe. 

He was wid me in de f urries 

In de summah fields ob co'n, 
An' aroun' a-hookin' cherries — 

'Deed he was, mos' ebery mo'n, 
An' he he'p me dribe de horses, 

Cluckt an' cluckt to make 'em go. 
Dat 's why I 'low dis darky's heart 

Was jes' pahboiled wid woe. 






An' de win' was so't o' whinin', too, 
Jes' like a dog dat grebes, 

An' wid nuffin' in de cherry tree, 
Exceptin' wintah's bref, 

One day in fall he 'lowed he 'd go 
An' jes' skip out hisse'f. 

I cain't persarsely blame 'im, 

Kase I 'd went ef I was 'im; 
'Low he knew de wintah weddah 

Would done freeze 'im to de limb, 
Kase he could n't ha'dly navigate, 

Er could n't cluck er sing, 
An' so he said: "Good-bye, ole man, 

I 's comin' back in spring." 



Dis mohnin', honey, 'deed I hyeahed, 
When eberyt'ing was calm, 

A song dat tetched mah po' ole heart 
Like oil of gladdest balm. 

An' who should I see settin' dar 





A RECORD F'OM WAY BACK 





0' s'pose I 's gwine to cuh-comb 
An' boddah wid dis nag 
Ef I low'd he was n't evah gwine to go? 
Why, chile, yo' make me tiahed! 
Dis ve'y hoss was siahed 
By Pocehontas f ohty yeahs ago. 

I 's doctahed up his wheezin', 

An' done stopped him ob his sneezin' ; 

An' partial'y cuahed de spavin on his back; 
Ef he was n't quite so bulky, 
I 'd put him 'foah de sulky, 

An' let yo' see his motion on de track. 



'Ceptin' froo de wintah, las' yeah 

I had him out to pastuah; 
But de farmah said he did n't habe no sense. 

Dar 's nuffin '11 keep him quiet 

When he gits down on his diet, 
An' once he eat a whole barb-wire fence. 



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De way I come to buy him 

Was, de day I come to try him 
I 's dumb-foundered wid de way he tuk de bit, 

An' as I was on mah way back, 

He kerlided wid a haystack 
An' I could n't coax his 'tention offen it. 

Yo' notice dat he winks, sah, 

He 's comin' out de kinks, sah ; 
An' mine yo' don' go nyeah his heels at all, 

Kase he 's nervous an' he 's dangus, 

An' speshly so to strangus, 
An' I nebah 'low no pusson 'roun' his stall. 

He 's pow'ful fond ob grazin' 

An' his appetite 's amazin' ; 
Dat 's a suah sign dat he 's got good bottom to 
him. 

When I bought him he 's so thin 

Dat he could n't ketch his win', 
An', 'Rasmus, yo' could read a papah froo him. 

I tale yo', he 's a hummah, 
'Low I '11 show de folks dis summah, 

96 






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GITTIN' INTO SHAPE 

RECKON de angel what rolled 'way de 
stone, 
An' let de Good Shepherd escape, 
Some day '11 fly down to dis prison ob sin 
An' lib'rate all dat 's prepahed to come in ; 

So I 's gittin' my soul into shape, 
Gittin' my soul into shape, fo', yo' see, 
It 's a mighty big stone dat 's a-layin' on me. 
Mighty big stone! Yes, indeedy! 

I hope de good angel '11 hab heaps ob strength, 
Er else bring ole Samson along, 

Kase the sin on my soul 's mo' 'en fohty foot 
deep; 

Yo' see, I been one ob dese wanderin' sheep, 
An' it 's gwine to need somebody strong, 

Gwine to need somebody strong, don' yo' see; 

It 's a mighty big weight dat 's a-restin' on me. 
Pow'ful big weight! Yes, indeedy! 

I 's gittin' my soul into shape fo' de day 
When Peter 'gins takin' his toll; 

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PATRIOTISM AND A PENSION 

LE Fo'th ob July 
Am mighty close by, 
Kase I done smell powdah in de ahr ; 
An' de beatin' ob de drums 
When de regiment comes 
Sort o' 'minds me ob de times in de wall. 




I was chief ob a division 

Dat furnished de pervision, 
An' I done looked wid pride on mah troops ; 

I had 'em so well drilled 

Dat none ob dem got killed — 
Our business was inspectin' chicken coops. 

I was shot froo de lip, 

An' wounded in de hip, 
An' fractuah'd mo' er less about de head; 

At de trouble 'roun' Fo't Pickens 

I was skirmagin' fo' chickens, 
When mah foot slipt an' I fell off de shed. 



e 





Gen'l Sherman gibe us right 

To forage mos' de night, 
So dat 's why I 'se trompin' on dis peg. 

I was out abductin' salt, 

When somebody hollahed "halt!" 
An' de fool up an' shot me in de leg. 

Jes' what I want to mention 
Is, I want increase ob pension, 

An' I make mah affidavit fo' de judge 
Dat I was in comman' 
When a shell bust in mah han', 

An' fo' fohty-seben days I could n't budge. 

I '11 stop, an' hoi' mah peace, 

Ef I get a good increase; 
I want mah pension bill increased to five; 

Fo' mah lip, an' hip, an' han', 

An' mah head, yo' undahstan', 
An' one jes' fo' comin' out alive. 



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DE SPRIXG-HOUSE 



DOWN to de spring-house am whar I 
long to wandah — 
De ole do' a-creakin' as it swings to an' fro, 
Down to de spring-house standin' obah yon- 

dah, 
Standin' obah yondah in de long time ago. 



Down by de spring-house de lilacs am 

a-bloomin' ; 
Hollyhocks a-noddin' an' honeysuckles thick. 
Down by de spring-house I listen to de lowin', 
An' reckon de ole brindle cow am wadin' up 

de creek. 



Down by de spring-house once again I 'm 

walkin' ; 
Yellah cream 'pon de shef, cain't let it be. 
Down in de spring-house, no use in talkin'— 
CoF greens an' hog- j ole 's good enough fo' me. 






DECORATE DE CABIN 

I'S done gwine to decorate mah cabin, 
Wid all de bric-a-brac I 's been a-habin', 
Den I 's boun' to hunt a wife, 
'Deed I is, yo' bet yo' life. 
Dar 's nuffin like a woman roun' a-blabbin'. 



4 



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I 's gwine to hang a coon skin on de do'. 
An' habe some Turkey rugs roun' on de flo' ; 

An' I nebah yet habe seen 

De ole cabin look so clean, 
Ef yo' peep in dar some time you '11 fin' it so. 

I los' mah wife las' summah, Jane Safras, 
Kase she done got up an' blew out de gas, 

An' eber since her leabin' 

I 's been a so't o' griebin', 
But I hope de one I 's ketchin' now '11 las'. 

We 's gwine to start right in to decoratin', 
An' yo' '11 be surprised at what I 'm statin', 
She 's six feet high an' taperin', 

107 



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GRAVE MATTERS 

WHEN dis ole man comes to die, 
Death is mos' unsightly, 
Don' yo' lay me in no room 
Wid de pull-down curtain gloom; 
'T'aint de place de dead should stay 
When de spirit 's gone away, 
Off to where it 's brightly. 

'Struct de pa'son 'fore he 'gins, 

Tetch de subject tritely; 
Kase it 's gen'ly undahstood 
I hain't been so pow'ful good; 
An' fo' him to shout an' groan 
'Rout me settin' roun' de frone, 
'Low it won't look rightly. 



When de fun'al 'gins to start, 

Shove mah box in tightly. 
'Membah I is in de hearse; 
Yo' am comin', but I 's firs'. 
Ef de mo'ners grieve an' mope, 

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A RETROSPECTION 

1'S a-sittin' neaf de ole magnolia tree 
So't o' thinkin' ob de times dat used to be, 

In de huckleberry patches 

When we hyeahed de steamah Natchez, 
An' de white folks all 'u'd hustle down to see. 
Dar was Missy Elenor an' Julie Ann, 
An' Haidee Lee, who lived wid Uncle Dan. 

But she went an' run'd away, 

An' de folks set up an' say 
Dat she 'loped off wid a wicked No'then man. 

Po' Cindy she is daid, an' Aunty Mary 
Don' do nuffin' now but sate aroun' an' worry ; 

An' ebery night she say 

She 'spects to go next day, 
But her disease ain' one dat 'pears to hurry. 
De doctors seems es ef dey had n't made out 
What 't is dat makes ole aunty look so played 
out, 





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But de time she will consume 
Turnin' Heaven into gloom 
Will make de Lawd repent when she 's done 
laid out. 

Missy Elenor she married Colonel Paxton, 
An' de scandal 'bout the Colonel don't be axin', 

But dey say, I undahstan', 

Dat he done shot off his han', 
Jes' to keep from jinin' good ole Stonewall 

Jackson. 
An' Julie Ann dat talk like she was hoarse, 
Dat huzzy she 's done gone an' got divorce. 

Dey lived in Chickamaugah 

Till she moved up to Chicagah, 
Kase t'ings is mighty cheap up dar, ob course. 

Yo' 'membah Haidee Lee? I undahstand 

Dat she 's trablin' roun' de country wid a band, 
An' hyeah she sort o' prances 
Wid a skirt an' thinks she dances, 

Did yo' ebah, ebah, goodness land! 

Wid de 'vantages dey used to habe, an' see 



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PINKEY 



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\ RECKON wintah 's goin', 

It 's rainin' 'stead ob snowin' ; 
I tell yo' dar 's no knowin' 
Jes' whar dis chile '11 go. 

Might go to Souf Kyarlina, 
An' summah dar wid Dinah; 
I guess I 'd cut a shine 

Among de coons I know. 

Den dar 's my good ole massie 
'Way down in Tallahassee, 
He ain't fo'got dis sassie 
Chile dat used to sing. 

De why he call me "Pinkey" 
War de colluh ob my crinkey 
Frock I wore so shrinky 

When I used to dance de fling. 



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We gals out in de moonshine 
Would dance de good ole coonjine, 
An' dreckly den we 'd soon fin' 
Dat missus hyeah de noise. 

Den mighty quick she 'd hurry 
Down dar all in a flurry, 
An' fin' dis huckleberry 

A-dancin' fo' de boys. 



An' den de way she 'd take me, 
An' land ob goodness, shake me ! 
Ole missus raised an' brake me. 
No wondah I 's so good. 

Ole missus used to tell me 
Dat like de cows she 'd bell me, 
Er else she 'd done go sell me 
To Yankees, I 's so rude. 







An' dar was Luke an' Jaspah, 
Lucindy, Jude an' Caspah, 
Dat ignominyus, 'aspah- 

Ratin', on'ry lookin' moke. 

Dat ole cush-footed, cramp-back, 
Dat essence ob ole lampblack, 
Dat inside, yih! yih! ob a smokestack, 
Us gals we called him smoke. 

An' dat new coon f ' om Cuba, 
Dat used to play de tuba, 
He used to pat de juba, 

While I dance de Mobile buck. 



De ole banjo was a-pingin' 
An' dat pink frock a-swingin', 
Dis yaller chile a-wingin', 
Jes' hoein' down fo' luck. 





An' when de fiddle 's scrapin', 
Dar 's too much music 'scapin 
I 's got to git to shapin' 
Myself er git de blues. 



Yo' wondah dat I 's weary 
Froo all dese days so dreary, 
Dar ain't one fing dat 's cheery 
'Bout Chicagah life fo' me. 



Dat 's de reason dat I 's goin', 
Jes' es soon 's it quits a-snowin', 
An' de col' win' stops a-blowin', 
Back to ole Kyarlina State. 

Dar de ivy am a-creepin' ; 
Whar my po' ole muddah 's sleepin' ; 
Missus — 'scuse me kase I 's weepin', 
Seems ez if I could n't wait. 






DE EYARFQUAKE 

DE eyarf quake a-shakin' 
Jes' a short time ago 
Was Belzabub a-pullin' 

Out de clinkahs down below. 
So yo' bettah drop yo' sinnin', 
Kase ole Satan he 's a-grinnin', 
Bime-by de bix saxophone 
Am shuahly gwine to blow. 

Cose yo' 's laffin now, 

Bekase it 's mighty still. 
Bime-by she gwine to shake 

Wid a pow'ful heavy chill; 
An' de ole bell in de towah 
'S gwine to fall down wid de powah, 
An' de millstones go dancin' 

Roun' de bottom ob de mill. 





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An' dis hyear coon 's a-hopin' 

Dat de Lord won't hoi' yo' back, 
'Speshly Jaspah Jones McClellan, 
'Yo' 's de one I 's been a-tellin' 
'Bout de use ob bad profanity 
An' also plug terbac. 

'Fore de debil shake 

De furnace down agin ; 
Yo' bettah ask de Lord 

To rid yo' ob yo' sin, 
Kase when Satan wants some fuel 
To warm up his brimstone gruel 
He '11 ope' de furnace do' 

An' de draf ' '11 suck yo' in. 

Don' be loafin' now 

An' shootin' craps aroun'; 
Yo' bettah be a-tryin' on 

De white probation gown; 
Firs' yo' know, all ob a-sudden 
Mos' yo' coons '11 take to scuddin' 
An' dose cushun feet 

Dey '11 nebah tech de groun'. 

121 





fc 



INJUN SUMMAH 

DE Injun summah 's comin', 
De bees is all froo hummin', 
De watahmellon thumbin' 

Has passed long time ago. 
De ole clock in de kitchen 
Is tickin' mos' bewitchin' 
While Gabe is out unhitchin' 
Jes' kase it looks like snow. 

De lambs is runnin' over 
De aftermath ob clovah, 
An' yondah comes de drovah; 

I 'spec' he 's got a yahn 
About de ole bell-weddah 
Dat 's wand'rin' roun' de meddah 
An' wants to git togeddah 

Wid de sheep up roun' de bahm 

Some days de sun is shinin', 
Some days de win' is whinin', 
An' den I 's after fin'in' 
Big pippins on de groun'; 
122 




.<0:-* 



De birds habe all stopped singin', 
Wil' geese is soufward wingin', 
Jes' look an' see 'em stringin' 
Whar warmah weddah 's foun'. 

De yaller cat is nappin' 
An' layin' roun' an' gappin'; 
Bime-by he will be slappin' 

Some tom-cat on de wall. 
Dar 's a meller, yeller glory 
Kase de yeah is ole an' ho'ry, 
An' a melancholy story 

So't ob hangin' roun' us all. 






* 




UNDAH OBLIGATIONS 

I NOTICE dat de weddah 's rathah chill- 
some, mo' er less, 
An' I notice dat de back-log so't o' crackles, 

Law' bress? — 
Ole Crimp is on de tuhnpike an' de f ros' is on 

de fence 
An' Santa Claus '11 soon be hyeah, so, chillun, 
habe sense. 



I seed 'im on ole Massa's ruff; 't war jes' de 
oddah night, 

Wid a span ob balky reindyahs, bofe 'em dap- 
ple gray an' white. 

Dey war hitched to a monsus lookin' alligatah 
sleigh, 

An' filled wid gifts fo' de chillun, piled ebery 
which an' way. 




'■'0i 



Yo' bettah read yo' Bible 'bout ole Moses an' 

de laws, 
Fo' yo' 's undah obligations to ole Santa Claus. 

How many ob yo' chillun been a-tendin' to de 

church ? 
An' done made up yo' minds to leabe de debil 

in de lurch, 
Habe yo' tended up to Sunday-school, an' 

listened to yo' teachah? 
Does yo' always drap a nickel to try an' spote 

yo' preachah? 

Am yo' wilful to yo' faddah er yo' muddah? 
Does yo' pestervate yo' sistah er yo' bruddah? 
Yo' bettah change yo' tactics cause, well jes' 

because 
Yo' 's undah obligations now to ole Santa 

Claus. 

Kin yo' ansuah all dese questions dat yo' pas- 

tah has perferd? 
Ef yo' cain't, yo' bettah hang yo' heads an' 

nevah say a word; 

126 



i&*. 



■o< 



DE GOOD SHIP 

I'S been watchin' long fo' de Good Ship, 
De Good Ship de Lawd sent to me; 
An' it 'pears dat it 's had a long voyage 
Crossin' life's troublesome sea. 




I 's spected it 'long in de mohnin', 
When nebah a sail was in sight, 

An' I 's looked f o' it 'long about noonday ; 
An' watched fo' it way in de night. 

Till I cast my eye obah de boun'less 
Ole ocean, an' what did I see? 

Off dar in de hush ob de distance 
De Good Ship a-comin' to me. 

So I laid my head down on my pillow, 
Fo'gettin' life's worry an' sin; 

An' when I awoke in de mohnin', 
My Good Ship had done got in. 



H 



128 



io- 



-m 




BEN KING'S VERSE 

The charming humor of "Ben King's Verse" pleases 
everybody and never grows old. The book is in greater 
demand than ever. 

1Tf 1T SboulD me Go=ftit0bt 

If I should die to-night 
And you should come to my cold corpse and say, 
Weeping and heartsick o'er my lifeless clay— 

If I should die to-night 
And you should come in deepest grief and woe 
And say, "Here 's that ten dollars that I owe" — 

I might arise in my large white cravat 

And say, "What's that?" 

If I should die to-night 
And you should come to my cold corpse and kneel, 
Clasping my bier to show the grief you feel — 

I say, if I should die to-night 
And you should come to me, and there and then 
Just even hint 'bout payin' me that ten 

I might arise the while; 

But I 'd drop dead again. 

(From "Ben King's Verse.") 

'Not to know Ben King's verse is a reflection on any man's 
habit of reading." — The Journal of Education. 

"Ben King's verses may be recommended to those suffering 
from melancholy." — The Chicago Daily News. 

"Lovers of real poetry and of quaint, whimsical humor will 
treasure 'Ben King's Verse' as a volume which can be read and 
re-read with pleasure, a companion for all moods and times." 
— The Journalist (New York). 

Beautifully made. 292 'pages. Price, $1.25 





O: 



Jane Jones and Some Others 

By BEN KING 

With 16 Full Page Illustrations, in Three 
Colors, by John A. Williams. 

The book is beautifully decorated throughout and rep- 
resents the highest art in bookmaking. Thousands of 
admirers of Ben King's verse have given this book a 
warm welcome, and many others have been pleased with 
an introduction to his work through such a charming 
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(A 



"The most attractive gift book of recent years." — Pittsburg 
Dispatch. 

"It is a rare delight to look upon the volume." — St. Louis 
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"The typographical effort of the publishers is splendid." — 
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"The pictures are admirable and thoroughly in the spirit 
of the book." — Kansas City Star. 

"This is a fine book for a present." — Chicago Tribune. 

"An exceptional book. The illustrations are as full of beauty 
and poetry as the verses, and the bookmaking is all that could 
be desired." — Baltimore Sun. 

Large 8 vo. Handsome decorated cover and box. $1.50 net 



FORBES & COMPANY, Publishers 

CHICAGO 



i&r-. 



:::-<£* 



